Godwin is specifically thanked by Bernard de Montfaucon in his preface to his edition of the works of John Chrysostom for his good offices in contacting John Potter, the future archbishop of Canterbury, for the establishment of certain texts of that author.[1] He was less responsive to moves for a rapprochement with Gallican circles in France.[2]

He died at Dublin on 13 December 1729. He published two separate sermons in 1716, and a third in 1724.